4 stars out of 5
I first noticed Joel Edgerton in the 2013 Leo version of The Great Gatsby, in which the Aussie struggled with an American accent. By 2015, he impressed me in Black Mass. But to be honest, I still confused him with Joel Kinnaman from The Killing. From now on, I promise to keep them straight, pun not intended regarding Edgerton’s gay-conversion film Boy Erased.
The true-life tale must’ve been a passion project for Edgerton, as he is the writer, director, a producer, and a lead actor here. He’s very good as the leader of the conversion camp (with the perfect bad haircut/glasses combo), but his is just one of the fine performances on display. Russell Crowe seems to have put on Raging Bull-style weight for his role as an Arkansas preacher. We believe his devotion to the church and the struggle he faces (and doesn’t face) with a gay son. Nicole Kidman is terrific as his wife, all dolled-up southern mom, and she handles much of the emotional heavy-lifting later in the film. Flea — yes, that Flea — shows up as a tough-as-nails staffer at the camp, and he’s a revelation. Cherry Jones is in this for a hot minute, but her calming presence is just what’s needed at a tense point in the story.
As the main character, Lucas Hedges delivers another excellent performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised by a second Oscar nomination. He wants to be a good son yet he can’t deny the feelings inside. (If you remember his character in Lady Bird, it’s fun to pretend this is a sequel.) At camp, should he play along to shorten his stay, or speak the truth?
Hedges’ fellow campers ring true — kudos to Edgerton and the young actors for toeing the line between realism and stereotype. There’s a simple pat on a shoulder between “foxhole buddies” that is a huge moment.
A time jump occurs late in the proceedings, and the film loses a bit of steam after that, almost like it’s maybe a little too proud of itself. Regardless, this is a really good movie — a bubbling stew of family, religion, and sexual identity — and if your kid suggests seeing it as a family over the Thanksgiving weekend, be cool and get those tickets.
Jack Silbert, curator